Ill

THE CONFERENCE

35

The enemy peoples trusted him to carry out thecompact he had made with them; and the alliedpeoples acknowledged him not as a victor only butalmost as a prophet. In addition to this moralinfluence the realities of power were in his hands.The American armies were at the height of theirnumbers, discipline, and equipment. Europe wasin complete dependence on the food supplies of theUnited States ; and financially she was even moreabsolutely at their mercy. Europe not only alreadyowed the United States more than she could pay;but only a large measure of further assistance couldsave her from starvation and bankruptcy. Neverhad a philosopher held such weapons wherewith tobind the princes of this world. How the crowds ofthe European capitals pressed about the carriage ofthe President! With what curiosity, anxiety, andhope we sought a glimpse of the features and bearingof the man of destiny who, coming from the West,was to bring healing to the wounds of the ancientparent of his civilisation and lay for us the founda-tions of the future.

The disillusion was so complete, that some ofthose who had trusted most hardly dared speak ofit. Could it be true ? they asked of those whoreturned from Paris. Was the Treaty really as badas it seemed ? What had happened to the President ?What weakness or what misfortune had led to soextraordinary, so unlooked-for a betrayal ?